Gear mechanisms with power division, in which an input torque is divided along several paths, which only transmit in each case a portion of the input torque, enable compact gear constructions. The safety in operation, the noise behavior and the service life of a multiple path gear mechanism of this type are however to a large extent dependent on the maintenance in operation of the required ratio of the torque portions divided along the gear paths. As a result of deviations of the gear paths which are always present and are caused by production conditions, constructional measures for torque compensation are required which prevent the excessive loading of one of the gear paths.
For this purpose there is already disclosed in the German Auslegeschrift 10 31 075 a torque compensation in a gear mechanism in which the torque compensation takes place via the drive shaft in connection with the drive gear. In this publication the drive shaft is divided and comprises a first radially mounted and a second radially freely movable section, wherein the drive connection between the two sections of the drive shaft and to the drive gear takes place predominantly via two toothed clutches so that the drive gear may in this way freely move between the gears meshing with it on the countershaft, and may therefore move both perpendicularly to the axis and angularly on all sides. Therefore by setting the reaction pressure of the tooth pressure in such a way between the two gears on the countershaft, that the power may be uniformly transmitted to both gears and therefore an automatic compensation of the torque is obtained.
The compensation of torques using this or like constructions is complicated and leads to high construction costs, for example as a result of the two curved tooth clutches additionally necessary. Additional components however provide additional sources of failure. In addition they may not or may only be used with excessive cost for example with change-speed gears having an integrated split group connected upstream.